Gaps
Everyone is familiar with the gaps to be minded on the London tube. I've just encountered some quite different ones. Because I am currently seeking for a job, I have the ability to claim for various kinds of benefits. Nice - just that I don't qualify for any of the major programmes, Job Seekers allowance et al. Still, the government is willing to come up for my National Insurance contributions (which otherwise would just go unpaid), and I'm glad they do. To this end, I need to sign up every two weeks, which means going to the Job Centre and sitting down at a desk for a brief period of time. I am happy to oblige.
Today was slightly different. After thirteen weeks (why thirteen?) you are scheduled for a slightly longer interview. The curious thing is, I found out today, the Job Centre offers a number of training programmes (of which I hadn't been previously informed) that you are eligible for up to thirteen weeks after your last employment. So people who show up to their thirteen week interview can be told that they are not eligible for these wonderful course (if they are that..), because they have been unemployed for longer than thirteen weeks. If that isn't a feat of just in time scheduling. It appears like an episode from a Douglas Adams novel. Please make sure that you arrive on time, so that we can tell you that you are too late.
And it continues. The next courses are available to those who are unemployed for longer than 12 months. I know this makes perfect sense to someone well trained in bureaucracy. And I perfectly accept that training resources are scarce and need to be allocated appropriately. Nonetheless, it's an interesting situation to be in. Oh, sorry, you've been unemployed for too long. Oh, sorry, you haven't been unemployed long enough. Everyone smiles, and agrees that these gaps are regrettable. Being told both these things on the same day is odd. Then why did you ask me to come here today ? I ask myself. In my mind, the nice clerk at the other side of the desk answers: Yes, we get these questions very often. We haven't yet been able ascertain the exact reason for this common enquiry...
Today was slightly different. After thirteen weeks (why thirteen?) you are scheduled for a slightly longer interview. The curious thing is, I found out today, the Job Centre offers a number of training programmes (of which I hadn't been previously informed) that you are eligible for up to thirteen weeks after your last employment. So people who show up to their thirteen week interview can be told that they are not eligible for these wonderful course (if they are that..), because they have been unemployed for longer than thirteen weeks. If that isn't a feat of just in time scheduling. It appears like an episode from a Douglas Adams novel. Please make sure that you arrive on time, so that we can tell you that you are too late.
And it continues. The next courses are available to those who are unemployed for longer than 12 months. I know this makes perfect sense to someone well trained in bureaucracy. And I perfectly accept that training resources are scarce and need to be allocated appropriately. Nonetheless, it's an interesting situation to be in. Oh, sorry, you've been unemployed for too long. Oh, sorry, you haven't been unemployed long enough. Everyone smiles, and agrees that these gaps are regrettable. Being told both these things on the same day is odd. Then why did you ask me to come here today ? I ask myself. In my mind, the nice clerk at the other side of the desk answers: Yes, we get these questions very often. We haven't yet been able ascertain the exact reason for this common enquiry...
posted by sven at
12:37 am
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